title: Help-seeking in transit workers exposed to acute psychological trauma: a qualitative analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traumatic events often occur in workplace settings and can lead to stress reactions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). One such workplace is the transportation industry, where employees are often exposed to trauma. However, extant research shows that a considerable proportion of people with PTSD do not seek specialty mental health treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this qualitative study, we sought to better understand the experience of a traumatic event at work and the barriers and motivating factors for seeking mental health treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) employees participated in a one-on-one interview, 18 soon after the traumatic event and 11 after entering a specialized treatment program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were conducting using qualitative description and analyzed using content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants described emotional responses after the trauma such as guilt, anger, disbelief as particularly difficult, and explained that barriers to seeking help included the overwhelming amount and timing of paperwork related to the incident as well as negative interactions with management. Motivating factors included family and peer support, as well as financial and emotional issues which persuaded some to seek help.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Seeking treatment is a multifactorial process. Implications and recommendations for the organization are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Sheena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bance
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Links
authors.affiliation: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Strike
authors.affiliation: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Ash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Rahel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eynan
authors.affiliation: Arthur Sommer Rotenberg Chair in Suicide Studies, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bergmans
authors.affiliation: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Toronto Transit Commission, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Grady
authors.affiliation: Arthur Sommer Rotenberg Chair in Suicide Studies, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Jesmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Antony
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D016272:Occupational Health; D009864:Ontario; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); qualitative; workplace trauma